iPhone 8 Release Date Could Include Google Assistant, Says Rumor

A new rumor, which several tech pundits already have a hard time believing, suggests that Apple may replace its Siri AI assistant feature with the Google Assistant feature. Tech blog Androidguys reported the claim Thursday, suggesting that Google Assistant could replace Siri at some point, but that for the upcoming iPhone may have both Siri and Google Assistant as options users can choose. Still, several iPhone enthusiasts have already scoffed at the idea.

The rumor comes at an interesting time, nearly one month to the day since Google announced Google Assistant support for the iPhone during its I/O Keynote presentation. With this support, iPhone users will be able to download Google Assistant from the Apple App Store, but Google made no indications that its Assistant feature would run on iPhones natively.

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Considering Apple’s dedication to propriety, the claim does seem extremely farfetched. There are already some Google apps, which iPhone users often favor to their Apple counterparts, Google Maps for example. Still, that has not ushered in an age where Apple would let a Google application trump its own in terms of development.

The tech giant recently announced at its World World Developer Conference, a host of overhauls to both Apple Maps and Siri, to improve functionality, in an attempt to make them applications of choice within the Apple ecosystem.

Some of Siri’s new features will include multiple results to inquiries and real-time translation to languages including Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Maps will also support indoor mall and airport schematics for large city locations, including Boston, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Jose, Tokyo and Washington DC.

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While Apple has made steps to make its features more customization friendly, including opening its Siri API to third-party developers, Google app have the benefit of already being on an open source platform. Meaning, Apple users can take advantage of developer customizations on Google apps, even within the Apple ecosystem.

If true, this rumor likely won’t be confirmed until at least early to mid-September, when Apple typically introduces its new iPhones. Rumors also suggest Apple may unveil the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7s as more mid-range options, alongside a premium 10th Anniversary edition iPhone 8.